1. Scope of Invention
This invention relates generally to toy balls, and more particularly to an inflatable or inflated toy ball of the type used for recreational purposes and still more particularly to an inflatable toy ball which exhibits eccentric, erratic or unpredictable movement and flight characteristics for enhanced playing pleasure.
2. Prior Art
Inflatable balls such as beach balls and the like are well known and have enjoyed wide spread world wide marketing success for years. Inflatable balls are typically constructed of a thin flexible outer skin such as thin sheet plastic, rubber and the like. Because of the lightweight structure and elasticity of the inflated ball, the bouncing and throwing characteristics are very appealing and unpredictable.
A number of devices associated with spherical balls of the inflatable and of the rigid or semi-rigid outer skin type are known to applicant in prior art as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,622 to Chung
U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,390 to Holtier
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,563 to Russell
U.S. Pat. No. 495,863 to Whitzell
U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,855 to Schultz
U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,448 to Stephens
U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,197 to Milbaum
U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,094 to Johnson
U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,634 to Fisher
Of particular note, the ""563 patent to Russell teaches an inflatable ball with a swingable variable internal bladder which, when filled with water, will cause the inflatable ball to move in an erratic fashion for greater playing enjoyment. The movement is typically described as being orbital in nature.
Holtier, in the ""390 patent, also teaches a toy ball especially useful for pets which includes a suspended weight positioned at the center of a tensionable elastic member. The outer chamber is formed of rigid plastic semi-spheres.
In the ""622 patent, Chung also teaches a toy ball with unpredictable bounce which includes a second ball positioned within the interior volume of the larger outer ball with the inner ball formed of denser sponge or rubber-like material and held within the interior of the outer ball with its center of gravity offset from the geometric center of the outer air-filled ball.
The present invention teaches an inflatable or permanently inflated toy ball which also exhibits unpredictable and erratic movement during rolling, throwing and impact motion. This toy ball includes an outer skin forming an outer chamber filled with sufficient air to fully expand the outer skin and a sealed inner chamber filled with a substance having a density or weight greater than that of air. This inner chamber is held in position within the interior volume of the outer chamber by elastic members which extend in all radial substantially orthogonal or three dimensional directions from the inner sealed chamber so as to provide universal movement from the at-rest central position of the inner chamber when the toy ball is thrown, rolled, struck or strikes an object such as the ground. A hand grip molded with and extending radially from an outer surface of the toy ball enhances play actions and options.
This invention is directed to an inflatable or inflated ball comprising an outer chamber formed of an air tight flexible outer skin which, when properly inflated and fully expanded, defines an interior volume. A sealed inner chamber filled or fillable with a substance substantially heavier than air is positioned within and occupies a relatively small amount of the interior volume. A plurality of elongated radially extending and three-dimensionally spaced elastic members are each connected and radially extend between, the inner chamber and the inner surface of the outer chamber. The elastic members are cooperatively sized in length and suitably tensioned to support and hold the inner chamber centrally in an at-rest position within the interior volume. Each of the elastic members will cooperatively stretch and contact in response to ball movement, such as rolling or being thrown and impact of the ball against a surface, causing the inner chamber to be unpredictably displaced from the at-rest position by gravity and inertia resulting in erratic movement of the ball. To enhance play options, a hand grip extending radially from one point of the outer skin is provided.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an air-filled ball which exhibits a high degree of bounce from surfaces at which the ball is tossed or thrown and which also exhibits erratic and unpredictable movement as the ball is rolled, thrown or has impact with other objects.
It is another object of this invention to provide an inflatable ball having either a spherical or an ellipsoidal-type elongated outer chamber shape with similar size and shape variations with respect to a much smaller inner chamber which is filled with a heavier material than that of the air which inflates the outer chamber.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an inflatable ball which includes a weighted inner chamber which is elastically moveable in all directions within the outer chamber so that the ball will freely move in response to gravity and inertial forces applied to the ball to effect unpredictable and erratic movement of the ball during play.
Still another object of the above invention is to provide a radially extending hand grip for enhanced play options.
In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.